Bell, Fitzgerald and Persad confirmed as ITV reveals new line-up

ITV's director of sport has predicted the network's racing viewers will enjoy coverage enhanced by a team boasting "quality, expertise, insight and personality" as the sport's new mainstream television home confirmed its on-screen line-up.

As previously revealed in the Racing Post, Richard Hoiles will take over from Simon Holt as the voice of racing after being appointed lead commentator, while Racing UK's Oli Bell gets a promotion to free-to-air television with the job of hosting ITV4's new Saturday morning magazine programme before contributing to the afternoon output.

Like Holt, Nick Luck, the regular frontman for Channel 4 Racing, will not be making the switch on January 1. Sir Anthony McCoy is another not to have been named as an ITV acquisition, while on Saturday at Ascot Clare Balding bowed out from racing presenting after more than two decades as the sport's principal face for the BBC and Channel 4.